Enter: The Platypus
By Emma Shannon

(Open scene with kids all sitting down in a classroom like setting.)

God: All right, before you go, I have an assignment for you tonight, my angels. I want you to create a new animal for plant Earth. (Muttering) I don't have time to do it all, you know.

Class: All right Mr. God.

(Scene changes to a college game/common room. A pair of boys are on the couch with red cups on a table next to them and a pair of girls are at a table with coffee. Spotlight on the guys.)

Michael: Dude what should we create for our final project?

Gabriel: (Taking a sip from one cup) I don’t know, man. Just remember it’s going to end up on Earth.

Michael: Yeah… (They sit in silence for a minute, fidgeting around and squirming on the couch in “thinking positions.”) This is haaaaard.

Gabriel: I know but we put it off and it’s due in (He checks his watch) like, five hours.

Michael: It’s three in the morning? (Michael nods.) Uggghhhh I want to go to bed.

Gabriel:So do I so lets get this thing done.

Michael: (He sighs) Fine.

(They start to do more “thinking positions” while drinking from their cups. Lights up on the girls.)

Cass: (Yawns) All right so how much do we have done?

Muriel: (Yawns also.) Um, it's a small mammal with fur that comes in a lot of neutral-ish colors like gray, white, black, tan, stuff like that.

Cass: All right, that's a pretty good start. I bet we're farther along than them. (She gestures to Michael and Gabriel.)

(Lights come up during Michael's line.)

Michael: I’VE GOT IT!

Gabriel: What’s your idea?

Michael: Okay so we make it a mammal, right? Except it lays eggs!

Gabriel: Dude.

Michael: What? You don’t like it?

Gabriel: Dude. That’s freaking GENIUS. (They hi-five.)

(Lights back up on the girls. They both take sips of coffee.)

Muriel: Ok, so we have that much. What now?

Cass: Well we want it cute, right?

Muriel: Of course.

Cass: Well lets give it a little pink nose that twitches.

Muriel: That's not cute, that's adorable!

(Lights back on the boys.)

Gabriel: Bro, I had another idea.

Michael: Lay it on me, Gabe!

Gabriel: Let’s give it a beaver tail.

Michael: And a duckbill!

Gabriel: Yes!! (He starts to furiously scribble things down on his notebook.)

(Back to the girls.)

Cass: So it's going to eat carrots and lettuce, right?

Muriel: Yeah, and have adorable buck teeth and a busy tail.

Cass: We're so getting an A.

(Lights on Michael and Gabriel.)

Gabriel: What if it’s poisonous?

Michael: Why not?

Gabriel: Okay, we need one more thing.

Michael: Hm… (Thinking positions continue. Guy one takes a big swig from his cup and puts it down. His eyes widened. He whispers the next line.) I’ve got it.

Gabriel: Huh?

Michael: Let’s make it sweat milk.

Gabriel: SWEET. What should we call it?

Michael: Uh… how about… a platypus!

Gabriel: Excellent! This is wicked!

Michael: And just to piss people off we'll make the plural platypuses and not platypi!

Gabriel: Bro you're a genius!

Michael: Bro!

Gabriel: Bro!

(The “Bro!”s continue with them doing weird guy stuff. Lights on the girls. The "bros" are quieter so you can hear Cass and Muriel.)

Muriel: Those guys are so annoying.

Cass: Tell me about it. I'm surprised they even tried to finish the project.

Muriel: Anyways, all we need now is a name for it. I was thinking rabbit?

Cass: More adorable.

Muriel: Ok, bunny rabbit?

Cass: Perfect.

(Back to classroom setting. Cass, Muriel, Michael, and Gabe are at the front of the class presenting their creations.)

Cass: (She hands him the paper with their design.) We think it will be a wonderful and cuddly addition to Earth.

God: (Sighs.) It's nice girls, but not very original. The highest I can give you is a B. (Cass and Muriel are astounded.)

Cass: (Whispering to Muriel.) If we got a B, there's no way those dimwits even passed.

Gabriel: Here's our assignment, Mr. God! (He hands God the paper. God looks it over, wide-eyed.)

God: This is so absurd and different! (Cass smirks.) I love it! A-pluses for you both.

(Cass and Muriel are shocked and appalled. The boys hi-five.)

Michael and Gabriel: SWEET!

~fin~